Donsubaek — Restaurant in Seoul

We were looking for Donsubaek in Hongdae, but the google map's location could be the old address, it was actually located across the street instead.

I ordered their signature pork soup, it comes in milky white color. Coming from SEA country where we are so used to tense, rich flavor, the soup may be a little bland for majority of us (I think there wasn't any salt added during cooking), but personally I love the hearty taste of the natural pork bone soup and it was perfectly fine for me. So for those who thinks this is too bland - don't worry, there's salt on every table where you can add it to your liking/taste. This dish is PERFECT for a cold weather (we were here early March so weather was like 0 to 10C)

Since we came in a group of 5, so we had the capacity to order more side dishes to try. There's 1 particular dish that caught my attention a lot, which is the Tteok-galbi (grilled short rib patties). It looks like a normal patty to me when the food was served, but boy i was wrong! It is so juicy, tender and flavorful!

To all foreigners that don't speak korean like us - don't worry too much about coming here, you can order via the tablet on the table and there's an option to change to different language, so it was pretty straight forward that minimal to none korean is needed to dine here.

Highly recommended: Pork bone broth soup, Tteok-galbi Caution: Double confirm the location in google map, I used naver map to double confirm the location (google map location showed location...

I've been there 3 times during normal hours ~8pm (not like drunk in the middle of the night) and every single time, the staff has been horrible, non-verbal and outright RUDE i.e you come in and not a single hello (i speak to them in korean), nothing, he points you the table you have to go to, just as if you're a dog. It then continues in the way they "serve" you and even how they treat you while you pay, not a word and he gives you the money back with his one chubby greasy hand (which he uses to put chives on top of your soup with NO GLOVE by the way.) The food is okay, not much meat tonight in my bowl on top of that. I will not go back or i'll have to fight the "server" next time - you have to order on the tablet so minimum interaction with them, but even that is too much. I don't understand how they are...

They're known for their dwaeji-gukbap (pork bone soup) with rice, and you have free flow of kimchi and banchan. Make sure you add your own flavorings as that's what the extra containers of salt and pickled shrimps are for. Loved the spicy version of the pork bone soup, especially for lunch, after a groggy morning. Got us an extra serving of naengmyeon and king mandoo. Just enough refuel to continue the Hongdae shopping adventures.

They've since moved further down the street, right across from With Coffee, along Yanghwa-ro 18an-gil. They did up their front porch, which makes the entrance very appealing. If all else fails, check Naver map; the location on Naver...